Supervisor Roles and Responsibilities: Helping People Succeed CompassPoint Nonprofit Services

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1 Supervisor Roles and Responsibilities: Helping People Succeed CompassPoint Nonprofit Services th St, Suite 320 Oakland, CA ph fx Web: Revision Date: July 6, 2012 CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Page 1 of 39

2 Disclaimer All material is provided without any warranty whatsoever, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. Any names of people or companies listed in this book or in its companion computer files are fictitious unless otherwise noted. Copyright 2013 CompassPoint Nonprofit Services unless otherwise indicated. All rights reserved. This publication, including any companion computer disk, or any component part thereof, may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storage in any information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the prior written permission CompassPoint, th St, Suite 320 Oakland, CA ph or the author. CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Page 2 of 39

3 Learning Objectives Understand the roles and responsibilities of a supervisor (understanding the fundamentals of the supervision framework) to foster excellent performance that supports individual and organizational needs. Know how to establish and communicate performance standards and expectations using behavioral terms. Apply a feedback framework to give constructive and supportive feedback within a supervisory context. Know how to establish work plans that include performance and professional development goals. Know how to create strategies for effective supervision and performance meetings. CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Page 3 of 39

4 Introduction CompassPoint Philosophy and Values 1. People are the most important resource in a community based nonprofit supervision plays a key role supporting the success of people working in nonprofits. 2. Shared leadership leadership is a process and happens at every level throughout an organization. 3. Asset-based/strength-based every individual has different talents and strength that make them unique. Organizations and teams who recognize and deploy people based on their strengths can achieve higher levels of performance. 4. Respect regardless of the situation, all people should be treated with respect. 5. Performance is tied to outcomes performance is not judged on personal preferences or whims, but on objective outcomes tied to the organization s needs. 6. A culture of providing ongoing and timely feedback to support performance improvement and personal growth is critical for trust and relationship building. 7. Our multicultural values live and breathe in our organization and in our work with nonprofit leaders, nonprofit organizations and the nonprofit field as a whole. Our work is and rooted in and strengthened by ever-expanding community knowledge of and relationships to diverse communities. Our programs are responsive to diverse ways of learning and meet people where they are. We partner with others to promote collective learning and to build the capacity of nonprofits as agents of multicultural responsiveness and equity. CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Page 4 of 39

5 Tools to Manage and Implement Change Changing behavior or integrating a new skill requires that we look at three organizational dimensions: skills, systems, and culture. An individual can learn new skills, but those skills are applied within an organization. The organization may or may not have the necessary systems in place to support and operationalize those skills successfully. The culture of the organization will also impact one s ability to apply skills. Do the values and practices inherent in the culture of the organization foster or hinder the process? CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Page 5 of 39

6 Each of us grapples with how to manage change in an organization, introduce new information or galvanize support for a new idea. In these situations, consider the following: concern influence authority Authority: What areas/projects in your work do you have the authority to decide upon and act on those decisions? When do you make decisions on your own, when do you include others in the decision? Influence: What areas of organizational decision making are you able to influence when you do not have authority to make the final decision? How do you influence them? Concern: where are you limited or have no authority, where you can t influence? CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Page 6 of 39

7 Overview of Performance Management The purpose of an organization s performance planning and review process is to guide, support, and develop staff to ensure both employee and organizational success. It is an ongoing and cyclic process that runs on an annual basis and is shaped by the organization s needs. The performance management system fosters ongoing two-way communication between employees and managers; supports the development of clear, consistent, and measurable goals linked directly to the organization s core values and competencies; helps to articulate and support training needs and career development; and establishes the criteria for making reward and recognition decisions. Effective performance management begins with respect for one another and ends with excellence in performance. It is the responsibility of supervisors to communicate on an ongoing basis with their employees. These conversations should be grounded in honest communication and provide staff with clear role expectations, feedback, identify performance improvement, development opportunities, and career possibilities. Each employee has a responsibility to participate fully in these conversations, be sure they understand their role responsibilities and expectations, and communicate any obstacles or training needs in order to perform their role at an optimum level. Performance management should be happening all year long and culminates with a summary review assessment that should bring closure to the performance period and provide a basis for performance management for the next period. CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Page 7 of 39

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9 Executive leadership is responsible for ensuring that a performance management system is in place and being used effectively, specifically this entails: Setting organizational strategy (together with the Board of Directors) Updating the employee handbook and communicating any changes Annually, in writing, communicate: o Current strategy and plans o Reminders and guidance to managers of deadlines to complete employee s annual goal setting and reviews Using and modeling the performance management process, practices, and tools Ensuring evaluations of their staff are well written and accurate by reviewing them and providing feedback and coaching as appropriate Reviewing evaluations of employees and providing feedback to supervisors Supervisors are responsible for: Aligning individual performance expectations with organizational goals Developing performance goals collaboratively with their direct reports Ensuring that performance goals are clearly communicated and current Providing fair, constructive, and timely feedback towards performance expectations and goals Providing assistance, guidance, and coaching support as needed Ensuring that staff have professional development plans in place Conducting performance evaluations according to established systems and policies Employees are responsible for: Communicating work load challenges Communicating progress towards performance goals Identifying and communicating professional development needs and opportunities Achieving performance and professional development goals as identified in individual work plans and individual development plans. CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Page 9 of 39

10 The Supervision Framework The supervisor s overall role is to communicate organizational needs, oversee employees performance, provide guidance, support, identify development needs, and manage the reciprocal relationship between staff and the organization so that each is successful. CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Page 10 of 39

11 Discussion Exercise ORGANIZATIONALLY 1. What is working well within your organization s performance management system? 2. What areas would you highlight for changes or improvements? AS A SUPERVISOR 3. Where are you most strong as a supervisor? 4. What areas of supervision are challenging for you? 5. What should you highlight for improvement? CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Page 11 of 39

12 Setting & Communicating Expectations Group Exercise: Brainstorm a list of expectations you have for the people you supervise CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Page 12 of 39

13 Communicating Expectations In order for employees to understand what is expected of them, you should communicate expectations in terms of behaviors by explaining what it looks like or sounds like when an employee is, for example, behaving professionally, treating co-workers with respect, or being accountable for his or her work. Often, expectations are set by the organization in the form of performance standards: conditions that exist when the job is performed acceptably in terms of quality, quantity, time, cost, impact, and process or method of doing. They are generally based on the organization, not the person in the job. They are different from specific goals which are set for an individual, and change over time, rather than the job. They enable individuals to differentiate between acceptable and unacceptable results. Examples of performance standards: Follow through: Enter all donor communications data within one week of contact. Accuracy: All client statistical reports shall be 100% error free. Punctuality: Be ready to receive clients at 9am every day. Responsive or Good Customer Service: Respond to all phone messages and s within 48 hours. Excellence: Achieve an average score of 4.5 or higher on program participant evaluations. Clean: Keep kitchen clean to health code specifications. Friendly: Greet all clients and visitors with standard greeting when they arrive and offer them a glass of water or coffee. Engagement: Actively participate in meetings; offer comments; ask questions; refrain from doing other work in the meeting (e.g. using PDA, tweeting, writing, or using laptop). Good Communication: Check in with principal of each school to update them on program status and issues within the first week of every month during school year. CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Page 13 of 39

14 Expectation Professional Respectful Accountable Behavior Arrive to work and all meetings on time; adhere to dress code guidelines; ensure all written communications are error free and use appropriate tone that considers the varied audiences and client groups that we serve. Greet people in the hallways; treat colleagues as internal customers; clean up your area and do your part to keep the common area (e.g. kitchen) clean. Meet all deadlines; come prepared to meetings with minutes from the last meeting, questions about the agenda and ideas to contribute to the topic; respond to requests in a timely manner. There are 3 key points to remember about communicating your expectations in terms of behaviors: 1. Phrase the behavior in terms of positive action when possible. Explain what you want the employee to do (versus what you don t want). 2. Make sure that your own actions model the behavior you expect from your employees. 3. Do not comment on a person s character. Limit your comments to observable behavior. For example, do not say you are unprofessional. Instead explain that punctuality is an aspect of the professional behavior that is expected and when a person is late for meetings s/he is not exhibiting that professional behavior. CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Page 14 of 39

15 Organizational Values Organizational values might also be applicable in an expectation setting conversation. As they apply to every employee in the organization. Examples: Confidentiality and Safety: It is vital that confidentiality and personal safety be respected at all times. We, therefore, honor the privacy of clients, staff and volunteers. We support an atmosphere of emotional, verbal, and physical non-violence in our workplace and in our client programs. Equality and Empowerment of all People: All individuals have inherent worth and are, therefore, valued equally regardless of gender, race, class, age, country of origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, religion or ability. Empowerment begins with recognizing and knowing that individually and collectively we each have the strength to make necessary change and to accomplish our goals. Personal Responsibility: We are trustworthy, reliable, and dependable. We recognize that we make decisions that affect others and ourselves and do so with as much information as possible. We hold ourselves and others accountable for decisions and behaviors within both the agency and the community. Professional Integrity: We are honest and ethical in our professional work and relationships. When in public, we behave in such a way that reflects positively on the organization, and on our community collaborators and partners. Respect: It is essential to honor different opinions, styles, genders, races, classes, ages, countries of origin, political affiliations, sexual orientations, religions, and abilities. Respect is reflected in the way we treat our clients, ourselves, and members of the community. We value the ideas, beliefs, and opinions of others, whether or not we agree with them. CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Page 15 of 39

16 EXERCISE: Communicating Expectations in Behavioral Terms Silent Start Select one or two of your expectations. Write down the expectation and a few behaviors that would demonstrate that expectation being met. Small Groups Describe the expectation using behavioral terms; use an example. Was the expectation clearly communicated? If not, give your teammate suggestions. Debrief Expectation 1. Behaviors that demonstrate expectation is being met: 2. CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Page 16 of 39

17 Developing a Workplan: 4 STEPS 1. Identify and understand where expectations exist for that position. o Formal Job descriptions, organizational standards, project plans, program goals, supervision requests o Informal Feedback, meetings, discussions, organizational culture 2. Key Result Areas (KRAs) Key result areas are the major functions or areas of accountability that the person is responsible for accomplishing throughout the year. Within each KRA there are a set of specific job duties and tasks that need to be accomplished to achieve the desired result. 3. Develop Goals for the Workplan Goal are specific achievements or personal development objectives assigned for a given time period (monthly, quarterly, bi-annually or annually) and, if applicable, given a priority or weight relative to other assigned tasks. Goals help every employee in an organization understand what is expected of them to be successful in their job. The goals that an employee and their manager create are specific objectives relevant to the job, and are designed to help employees grow in their career. During performance reviews, employees are evaluated and rated on these goals to determine how successfully they've met performance expectations. Goal Examples: Secure $30,000 in funding for after-school program this year. Enroll at least 250 children in after-school program this year. Facilitate one volunteer training each quarter this year. CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Page 17 of 39

18 Attend conflict resolution seminar by June 1. Create a draft workplan for developing new performance evaluation by May 30. Create first version of online resource directory by October 1. Secure location and at least 3 sponsors for annual event by January 30. S.M.A.R.T. Goals SMART goals clarify what and when, not how or why. They clarify roles and responsibilities so everyone who reads the goals can fully understand the scope and accountability. They identify accountability for task completion. Every SMART goal should have the following five characteristics. S M A R T Specific: A single key result to be accomplished; clarifies what and when Measureable: The metric and expected performance level/result (e.g. percent increase, completion of project) Attainable / Achievable: The goal is attainable; can you actually accomplish the goal? Relevant: Employee has control and the ability to effect; aligned with organizational strategic goals Time-bound: Expected completion date or when the goal will be achieved The following goal meets all five criteria: Within the review period every year, provide every employee with her/his completed correctly documented performance evaluation that is mutually agreeable to by supervisor, employee and management team. Specific Measureable Attainable Realistic and Relevant Time-bound A single key result to be accomplished; clarifies what and when Every employee, completed, correctly documented. Goal can be accomplished. Supervisor and employee must agree this is doable and that employee has control and authorization to succeed. Within the review period CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Page 18 of 39

19 1. Specific Goals should be straightforward and emphasize what you want to happen. Specifics help us to focus our efforts and clearly define what we are going to do. Specific is the What, Why, and How of the SMART model: WHAT are you going to do? Use action words such as direct, organize, coordinate, lead, develop, plan, build etc. WHY is this important to do at this time? What do you want to ultimately accomplish? HOW are you going to do it? To set a specific goal you must answer the six "W" questions: Who: Who is involved? What: What do I want to accomplish? Where: Identify a location. When: Establish a time frame. Which: Identify requirements and constraints. Why: Specific reasons, purpose or benefits of accomplishing the goal. 2. Measureable A measurable goal tells the employee exactly what is expected so there is no opportunity for confusion. Words such as better, excellent, or high-level are not measureable. Your definition of these words may not be the same as others. There are two ways to measure whether a goal has been met: quantity and quality. Quantity: Quantity indicators include hard figures such as numbers of youth enrolled, or funding in dollars or percentages. Quantity measurements may be expressed in one of the following ways: As a known standard, such as program budget draft due October 1 every year. As a comparison, as in 15% increase over previous year, or not to exceed 5% over previous years budget. Be sure to include the comparison indicator with a CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Page 19 of 39

20 percentage or ratio (such as reduce operating expenses by 15% compared to last year ). As a ratio or percent that can be tracked over a given period, such as less than 5% turnover. Quality: These are conditions that indicate a result has been achieved. You can use either a comparison or a known standard. To decide whether to use a quality measurement, ask how will I know when it is achieved? An example of a quality measurement is complying with all conditions as outlined in the organizational employee handbook or treating all clients and staff respectfully and compassionately as defined by organizational principles. 3. Attainable: Both the supervisor and the employee must agree that this goal is reasonable and within the employee s job description. You can attain most any goal you set when you plan your steps wisely and establish a time frame that allows you to carry out those steps. Goals that may have seemed far away and out of reach eventually move closer and become attainable, not because your goals shrink, but because you grow and expand to match them. Goals you set which are too far out of your reach, you probably won't commit to doing. Although you may start with the best of intentions, the knowledge that it's too much for you means your subconscious will keep reminding you of this fact and will stop you from even giving it your best. A goal needs to stretch you slightly so you feel you can do it and it will need a real commitment from you. The feeling of success which this brings helps you to remain motivated. 4. Relevant: To be relevant a goal must represent an objective toward which you are both willing and able to work. The goal must be within the employee s control and ability to influence the outcome. CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Page 20 of 39

21 The goal should be aligned with the organizational strategic goals and the employee should understand how his/her goal contributes to organizational success. 5. Time-bound: Time-bound goals include a target date or a specific time period in which to meet the goal. Examples include: By the end of the review period By the end of the quarter or year Every month Every time On an ongoing basis CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Page 21 of 39

22 Professional Development Identify the appropriate area of focus based on individual and organizational needs. Level Area of Focus Required Skills, Knowledge, Experience? 4 Career Planning What should you do now to prepare for your career 5+ years from now? 3 Next Job or Role What should you do now to prepare yourself for a promotion, increased responsibilities or a different job? 2 Mastery: Current Job or Role 1 Threshold: Current Job or Role What should you do now to ensure that you are exceeding expectations and excelling in your current position? What should you do now to ensure that you are meeting all expectations of your current position? Principles for Development: The 70/20/10 Rule Most learning and development doesn t come from training. Rather, sustainable development comes from on-the-job learning actually doing the work while learning how to do the work. Learning from training, unless applied immediately, is lost shortly after the class is over. Development efforts should use the following strategies and ratios of effort. 70% On-the-job learning Create conditions within the organization that support development and growth and hold leaders accountable for the development of their people. CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Page 22 of 39

23 Some ideas: Role conversations: Discuss with people the connections between their work and developmental needs by revealing learning opportunities in their day-to-day experiences. Stretch opportunities: Assigning additional projects, committee work, and new tasks. Think about upcoming opportunities that provide people a chance to work on next level job responsibilities. Shadowing and job rotations: Think about a temporary job or work rotation to provide someone with a range of experiences. Allow people to job shadow others. 20% Learning through relationships Ensure that individuals are learning from other people. In addition to staff, leverage board members and volunteers with specific skills or experience. Some ideas: Develop an internal mentor program and match individuals with board members, staff, donors, external partners. Develop internal coaches; peer-to-peer or across functional areas and levels. Provide external leadership coaches. Ensure supervision and ongoing feedback as people work on their goals. Join affinity groups, networking groups, learning circles. 10% Learning through formal training and education Some ideas: Classes and workshops webinars/online learning Regular reading of publications, journals, articles Attending conferences CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Page 23 of 39

24 Sample Workplan Employee Name: Maria Manager Employee Title: Program Manager Supervisor Name: Sara Supervisor Supervisor Title: Program Director Time Period: 2013 Today s Date: Key Result Areas: Desired Outcomes: (SMART Goals or Standards) Timeline 1. Manage After School Program Schedule workshops; at least 2 workshops in each of the following topics: o College, employment, drugs and alcohol, conflict resolution Recruit qualified presenters with at least 4 or more years in area of expertise Review and update curriculum with program staff before scheduling workshop. Decrease attrition; maintain returning youth attendance at or above 85%. 12 to 18/year 2 per quarter By June 2013 Ongoing 2 Information and Referral Respond to information requests within at 24 hours. Conduct review of I & R data sheet for accuracy; update according to new legislation Ensure referrals are appropriate for youth services as measured by client survey sheets. 3 Outreach Regularly contact each primary school during school year Distribute newsletter to all schools One in-person presentation at each school Ongoing By Dec Quarterly every 2 months Monthly Sept. thru Nov. CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Page 24 of 39

25 4. Admin and Operations Ensure timesheets are timely and accurate Attend monthly staff meetings Attend quarterly program managers meetings Employee work plans are completed and annual reviews conducted end of day of the first work day after the 1st and 15th of each month Professional Development Desired Outcomes: (SMART Goals) December Increase conflict resolution knowledge Attend conflict resolution seminar Conduct train-the-trainer for rest of program staff Q1 Q2 2. Enhance knowledge about nonprofit boards Attend organization s board meetings Debrief with program director about observations, questions, etc. Get mentor match with current board member 3/year By June By Dec. CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Page 25 of 39

26 Your Turn! Develop Your Workplan Employee Name: Supervisor Name: Employee Title: Supervisor Title: Time Period: Today s Date: Key Result Areas: Desired Outcomes: (SMART Goals or Standards) Timeline Professional Development Desired Outcomes: (SMART Goals) CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Page 26 of 39

27 Giving Performance Feedback Giving Feedback Providing feedback is an authentic, non-judgmental, and constructive process that allows the receiver of the feedback to understand what behaviors and actions are helping and hindering their success. Feedback should always include specific detail that will help the person better understand the impact and outcome that s/he is contributing to. Give feedback under these conditions only: You are prepared to be constructive You are not emotionally invested You can step into the other person s shoes You have rehearsed and can be brief Part 1: Supportive or Appreciative Feedback: Supportive feedback reinforces behavior that is effective and desirable. Managers often assume that good performance is to be expected and only bad performance should be followed with feedback. Managers should discuss what the employee is doing well, thus highlighting characteristics of strong and desired performance. 1. Acknowledge people as soon as possible after you observe desired performance. Timing is critical to reinforce behavior and encourage more of the same. 2. Be authentic. Provide positive feedback when you can genuinely appreciate the behavior otherwise you run the risk of appearing patronizing. 3. Be specific; avoid generalities. Thank you and great work alone are insufficient. What exactly do you appreciate and why? Provide examples and details of how their actions contributed to desired performance. 4. Give feedback in person when able. or phone messages can be used only when too much time will lapse between in-person opportunities. 5. Be supportive. Do not follow positive feedback with a but comment. CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Page 27 of 39

28 Examples: Instead of this: You were great in that meeting, thanks. You really handled that tough situation with the client well. Thanks, you re awesome! Thanks for keeping the bathrooms clean. Try this: When you were clear and concise while explaining your idea at the meeting, it really helped the management team to focus and understand the benefits of your proposal more clearly. That will help us make a better decision for the program. I appreciate how well you prepared I really want to tell you how well you handled the client s problem. You were able to calm him down by being patient and he could see that you were willing to take the time to help him. That helped get to the right resolution, ultimately allowing him to find the services he needs. I want to thank you for keeping the bathrooms really clean. Our residents are dealing with a very tough time in their lives and having a comfortable clean environment means a lot to them and it conveys the care and respect we have for them. CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Page 28 of 39

29 EXERCISE: Identify a time you should have given someone supportive feedback. SILENT START: Prepare your thoughts. 1. What expectations were met? 2. What specific behaviors did you observe? (e.g. what specifically did they do and/or say?) 3. What positive impact did this have on you, others, the organization, or client? FEEDBACK MIXER! CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Page 29 of 39

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31 Part 2: Corrective/Developmental Feedback Corrective feedback addresses behavior that does not meet expectations, is ineffective, or inappropriate. Feedback should address the behavior of the person, not the character of the person. Provide feedback as soon as possible after you observe the undesirable performance and allow adequate time for the conversation. Be sure that the feedback is always given in private. 1. Provide the feedback as soon as possible after you observe the specific behavior. Timing is critical to ensure that both parties have as a clear memory of the behavior and situation. 2. Connect the behavior to the impact. Understand that your feedback will have greater influence if the person understands how his/her action impacts the performance of the organization, it s not just because you want it that way. 3. Be specific; avoid generalities. Describe what you saw or observed and give details of how those actions contributed to the situation that is not meeting expectations. 4. Give feedback in person when able. Consider the person and the circumstances; ensure that he or she is in a confidential environment. 5. Be prepared to engage in problem solving or discussing solutions if appropriate. 6. Express confidence (positive statement) that the person can correct her/his behavior. Not to be mistaken for positive feedback. A few don ts : Don t apologize for giving negative or corrective feedback. This can undermine your message. In other words, you are not sorry so why are you apologizing? Don t use the sandwich approach. This dilutes your primary message and can send mixed messages. Don t avoid giving feedback. Give the staff person the chance to correct behaviors before the issue becomes a bigger problem. CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Page 31 of 39

32 Examples: James, I would like to speak with you for a moment about today s meeting with our funder. Prior to the meeting, you did not provide an agenda and reference materials which are necessary to ensure that we have everything we need for a focused and productive conversation. Preparing that way is the level of professionalism that is expected. All of our funders are critical partners to us and we need to always adhere to a high standard when we engage with them. I know you care deeply about our reputation and funder relationships; I appreciate your willingness to work on this next time... Malia, when we don t know that you re going to be late it doesn t give us enough time to cover reception. Today we ended up opening late and our clients were waiting outside the clinic. This impacted the day s appointment schedule and a number of other staff were not able to take their lunch break. This caused stress on the staff and for the clients too. We understand that there are times when schedules need to be adjusted; however our expectation is that you tell us ahead of time so we can make other arrangements. Thanks for understanding and for ensuring that you can meet this need. Caution! A behavior that does not improve after corrective feedback and problem solving might become a performance problem, but not until the employee has been given the opportunity to improve. CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Page 32 of 39

33 EXERCISE: Identify a time you should have given someone corrective or developmental feedback. SILENT START: Prepare your thoughts. 1. What expectations were NOT met? 2. What specific behaviors did you observe? (i.e. what specifically did they do and/or say?) 3. What negative impact did this have on you, others, the organization, or client? EXERCISE IN PAIRS: 1. Share the feedback with someone that you do not have a supervisory relationship with. Do not role play, just share the feedback using notes from above. 2. Partners: Was the feedback clearly communicated and non-judgmental? If not, give your partner suggestions. CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Page 33 of 39

34 Supervision Meetings Regular Supervision Meetings Performance management is not an episodic event that happens at the beginning and end of a performance cycle. It is an ongoing process that requires constant attention and thoughtfulness. Supervisors are responsible for scheduling supervision meetings regularly with each of their direct reports. Supervision meetings have numerous purposes: Monitor performance to expectations and work plan progress Discuss work load Discuss timelines and deadlines Identify any training needs, challenges, barriers, or obstacles Provide performance coaching when needed Problem-solve when required Provide feedback Providing documentation for legal purposes Establish your supervision agendas in the following three categories: Performance: Specific to individual s performance. This generally includes performance reviews and also addressing problems with performance or providing positive feedback on specific performance. Work Updates and Progress Check-ins: Generally checking in on upcoming tasks/deadlines or status of tasks. Support/Coaching/Mentorship: Less about performance or tasks, but more about the individual s well being as a staff member or personal/professional development. One supervision meeting can encompass more than one of these agenda types, but understanding what your focus is will make it easier for you to come up with clearer meeting objectives. CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Page 34 of 39

35 Guide for More Effective Supervision Meetings Prerequisites for increased success: Mutual respect between supervisor and employee: See each other as competent Interested in each other s success Commit to the meeting (don t cancel unless it s for something extremely urgent) Supervisor should: Encourage and support the employee Demonstrate confidence in the employee s ability to progress Ask for feedback Employee should: Be receptive to suggestions for improving performance Take ownership of success Ask for feedback Assumptions: People are an organization s most important resource Everyone has talents and strengths to nurture, and challenge areas to further develop Performance reviews and training are central to a supervisor s success Managers have tremendous influence over an employee s ability to grow, or they can impede progress Skills in appraising people and in developing their capabilities can be learned A combination of giving employees the opportunity to actively participate in the decision making process of setting goals and providing feedback are major factors in employee motivation CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Page 35 of 39

36 Preparation: Supervisor: Consider the environment: Meet in private Eliminate disruptions or interruptions Schedule time in advance and allow adequate time Provide copy of any written agreements Prepare for the meeting review outcomes of prior meetings collect data in preparation for the meeting prepare an agenda for the meeting, including topics to be covered and outcomes for the meeting consider expectations for the employee prepare talking points about what you wish to discuss For the Employee: Prepare for the meeting review outcomes of any written agreement collect data in preparation for the meeting, including reviewing job description and work plan consider own development (training) needs, and possible objectives for the next period prepare talking points about what you wish to discuss think of ways that the supervisor can support/assist you in the achievement of your goals CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Page 36 of 39

37 Sample Supervision Agenda Discussions: Notes/Action Needed: Project Updates: Afterschool program enrollment status Recruitment status Review monthly reports Performance: Progress on annual plan Professional development activities Feedback regarding last week s team meeting Coaching/Problem Solving: What s working well? What s challenging, barriers for you? How is your work-life balance? What do you need more of/less of from me? CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Page 37 of 39

38 Action Plan for Improved Supervision Three things I will do differently, practice, try or share with my coworkers: CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Page 38 of 39

39 Thank you! For questions contact Marla Cornelius at About the Trainer Marla Cornelius, MNA, is a Senior Project Director at CompassPoint Nonprofit Services where she works on several of CompassPoint s nonprofit management and leadership programs and research projects. She co-authored the national research report UnderDeveloped: A National Study of Challenges Facing Nonprofit Fundraising (2013). She also led the development of the studies Ready to Lead? Next Generation Leaders Speak Out (2008) and Daring to Lead 2011: A National Study of Nonprofit Executive Leadership. She develops content, trains, and consults in the areas of individual and organizational leadership and governance. Marla currently serves as the Board Chair for DataCenter, a research justice organization. Marla is one of the lead trainers for the Executive Director Intensive program led by Organizational Effectiveness. About CompassPoint CompassPoint is a national, nonprofit leadership and strategy practice headquartered in Oakland, CA. Our mission is to intensify the impact of fellow nonprofit leaders, organizations, and networks as we achieve social equity together. For 40 years, CompassPoint has worked to carry out this purpose by guiding nonprofits as they become better managed and continuously adapt to changing constituent needs and economic realities. We believe that nonprofit organizations and leaders need relevant support that builds on their strengths, experiences, and achievements and that those individuals and organizations that invest in increasing their leadership and management capacities are better poised to achieve meaningful impact and progress. We are a 22-person, integrated staff practice offering the strongest teaching, coaching, consulting, and facilitated peer learning all grounded in our staff s deep nonprofit leadership and governance experience. CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Page 39 of 39